Hundreds of Taco Bell drive-thrus are set to be AI-run by the end of this year

• Taco Bell's parent company is ramping up its implementation of drive-thru AI at the chain.
• Yum! Brands said Wednesday that hundreds of Taco Bells are set to have voice AI by the end of 2024.
• Other fast-food chains have been experimenting with automation and AI in recent years.

Your next Cheesy Gordita Crunch may come to you via an artificial intelligence drive-thru experience.

Hundreds of Taco Bell drive-thrus across the country are set to implement voice AI technology by the end of this year, the chain's parent company said in a Wednesday announcement.

Yum! Brands Inc. is continuing to ramp up its use of artificial intelligence, which executives say makes life easier for both car-bound customers and employees working behind the window.

Voice AI is already installed in more than 100 Taco Bell drive-thrus across 13 states, according to a Wednesday press release. The company said its goal is for the technology to eventually be a part of all Taco Bell franchises.

The company said its voice AI uses a "holistic approach that leverages feedback, data, and insights to enhance consumer relationships with an emphasis on intuitive, user-friendly technology to create a seamless ordering experience."

Yum! Brands said the tech would not replace any of its current workers,

While other fast food chains are similarly experimenting with artificial intelligence, Yum! Brands has taken an expedited approach to piloting the technology. In May, the company said it would expand testing of voice AI from five to 30 stores in California in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, McDonald's — one of Taco Bell's major competitors — announced last month that it was ending its AI testing at more than 100 drive-thrus following customer complaints about technology mishaps, many of which were captured in viral videos. The company said it would turn to new tech vendors as it continues to explore artificial intelligence.

In recent years, other chains, like Wendy's, Chipotle, and Wingstop, have increasingly turned to automation tools like AI and robotics to combat post-pandemic labor shortages in the restaurant industry.

Yum! Brands on Wednesday cited several benefits of the technology, including easier task loads for team members, improved order accuracy, reduced wait times, and boosted sales.

"With over two years of fine-tuning and testing the drive-thru Voice AI technology, we're confident in its effectiveness in optimizing operations and enhancing customer satisfaction," Lawrence Kim, chief innovation officer at Yum! Brands said in the press release.

A 2023 report from restaurant publication QSR Magazine found that Taco Bell has the fastest drive-thru of several popular fast food chains for the third year in a row.

The parent company said it sought input from its Taco Bell franchisees and "collaborated closely" with the stores to ensure AI benefits both team members and consumers.

Five Australian KFC restaurants, also owned by Yum! Brands, will also adopt the AI tech in their drive-thrus, the company said.